Pratt Institute

Brooklyn, NY

Pratt Institute is a leading art and design college in Brooklyn, New York, founded in 1887 with a mission to provide accessible education that enables graduates to succeed in creative economies. The Institute's 25-acre residential campus in Brooklyn houses comprehensive programs in fine arts, architecture, design, and liberal arts, and is known for its deep commitment to Brooklyn's communities.

A 2023 FCI Implementation Grant supported a boiler replacement as part of a systematic upgrade of Pratt’s physical plant. This project is part of Pratt’s ambitious long-term goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, exceeding compliance with Local Law 97. The boiler replacement estimated approximately 25 percent in cost savings in oil and natural gas and a decrease of greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 12 percent annually.

A 2026 FCI Technical Assistance Grant will support the design of the Pratt Thermal Energy Network (TEN), a fifth-generation geothermal ambient loop system serving approximately 392,000 square feet across four campus buildings. The system will use geothermal bore fields, distributed water-source heat pumps, ice storage, and wastewater heat recovery to provide electrified heating, cooling, and domestic hot water, while retaining the central steam plant for backup and resilience. The Pratt TEN is expected to reduce campus emissions by approximately 1,100 metric tons of CO₂ equivalent annually, provide significant air quality benefits for the surrounding Brooklyn Disadvantaged Community Area, and serve as a replicable model for campus-scale decarbonization in dense urban environments.